How Does Devin Smith Compare to Other Great tOSU WRs?

[LordJeffBuck]

Here's a partial list of some great Buckeye receivers, in alphabetical order:

01. David Boston: 191 receptions, 2,855 yards, 34 TD (3 years)
02. Cris Carter: 168 receptions, 2,725 yards, 27 TD (3 years)
03. Doug Donley: 106 receptions, 2,252 yards, 16 TD (4 years)
04. Joey Galloway: 108 receptions, 1,894 yards, 19 TD (4 years)
05. Ted Ginn, Jr: 135 receptions, 1,943 yards, 15 TD (3 years)
06. Terry Glenn: 79 receptions, 1,677 yards, 17 TD (3 years)
07. Santonio Holmes: 140 receptions, 2,295 yards, 25 TD (3 years)
08. Michael Jenkins: 168 receptions, 2,898 yards, 16 TD (4 years)
09. Devin Smith: 121 receptions, 2,503 yards, 30 TD (4 years)
10. Gary Williams: 154 receptions, 2,792 yards, 16 TD (4 years)

 

[BUCKYLE]

I'd put him in the top ten for sure. It's hard for me to accurately place these guys from the Urban era. While he was a good receiver for sure, it's hard to imagine David Boston or Terry Glenn in this offense. Tho outside of Galloway and Ginn, he may be the best deep ball reciever in tOSU history.

 

[bukIpower]

I put him third behind Carter and Boston. He out produced Carter in TD's but Carter played 1 less year as well so edge goes to him and then you just have to go with Boston's 34 Td's as first

 

[GeorgiaBuck2]

Behind Carter, Boston, Holmes, and Jenkins

 

[BayBuck]

I'm right there too. I could sneak Devin into#5 just above Galloway for stats and the NC (over Joey's sheer awesome talent). Carter, Boston and Santonio seem like the top 3 in some order, then Jenkins's yardage rank, NC and similar clutch-ness.

It is hard to be objective in this amazing moment - but even besides this historically prolific senior year, Smith has been doing it long enough to give us maybe the single great moment of the 2011 season, the 40-yarder to beat Wisky in the Shoe at night... Total Buckeye great.

 

[Mariotwins]

It's hard for me to place him in an exact spot but somewhere 4-6 seems about right.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Behind Carter, Boston, Holmes, and Jenkins

I'd put him slightly ahead of Holmes and Jenkins. Aside from Carter, he was probably the biggest consistent deep-ball threat, even more so than the faster Teddy Ginn. His ypc is third just behind Donley and Ginn and his career TDs is #2 in school history. Not to mention his career average for TD catches is something like 37 ypc, which is insane for that many TDs...

 

[Merih]

I always struggle with the mental distinction between greater and better. I feel you can be a greater player over a time period, but still not be a better player.

I would put Devin behind Carter, Boston, Jenkins, Holmes. I think it's pretty clear that those guys were just better all around receivers. His position with Glenn, Galloway, and Ginn Jr. is a toss up to me.

Sure, he produced more than the 3 G's... and so his career was greater, but was he better? *shoulder shrug*

So many other things go into a wideouts production. Who was his number two, and was that person a legit threat? How was the running game, and did it keep safeties in the box? Who was the guy throwing him the ball? How many games/season more/less did he play? Etc.

 

[jlb1705]

People seem to be forgetting that those career stats for Terry Glenn came pretty much exclusively in one season. As many touchdowns in one season a half the guys on that list scored in three or four. Galloway, Ginn, Jenkins... none of those guys won a Biletnikoff Award. Look up some YouTube clips if you're too young or forgot how good he was.

He belongs in the top-3 of that group without a doubt.

 

[BUCKYLE]

WR U

 

[TDunk]

Definite top 10. Not the greatest speed (The 3 G speed demons: Ginn, Galloway, and Glenn). Not the greatest route runner (Holmes and Glenn). Not the greatest hands (Carter and Jenkins). But a great overall combo player and a great offensive plan gave him some great numbers. He did start to execute the shorter routes more this year but not top 5 level. Semantics aside, he was extremely effective as a WR weapon.

The way the offensive gameplan is developing though, he made be pushed outside the top 10 soon. It's a shame the old school players weren't utilized as well as they are nowadays.

 

[ScriptOhio]

It's a shame the old school players weren't utilized as well as they are nowadays.

Ever wonder what kind of numbers Paul Warfield would have of put up in a different offensive system? "NFL wise" he may be the best receiver ever to play at Ohio State; however, at Ohio State he was listed as a RB and had really meager receiving stats (especially by today's standards):

http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/paul-warfield-1.html

Legacy: Warfield was poetry in motion
Warren's Warfield was state's most explosive receiver

Paul Warfield scoots upfield during the 50-20 blowout of Michigan in 1961 at Ann Arbor.

Entire article: http://archive.thenews-messenger.co...PORTS/310210009/Legacy-Warfield-poetry-motion

 

[Taosman]

Chri Carter is the "Gold Standard" of OSU WRs. He cold do it all.
The "yards per catch" of Devin are ridiculous. Completely insane!
But as a complete receiver, he falls down the list.
People like Joey Galloway are more "complete" receivers.
So, I would definitely put Carter and Galloway over him.
I have seen both play in person. So a lot of this will be subjective.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

I've got him at #7.

1a. Cris Carter
1b. David Boston
3. Santonio Holmes

Carter, Boston, and Holmes were truly great receivers who played only three years each - their four-year totals would have been phenomenal.

4. Terry Glenn - the greatest single year for a Buckeye receiver (1995)
5. Michael Jenkins - very solid 4-year player and a big part of the 2002 national championship team
6. Joey Galloway - a better player than his numbers reflect
7. Devin Smith - a one-trick pony, but it's a damned good trick
8. Ted Ginn, Jr - a truly great player, but better as a return man than a receiver
9/10. Gary Williams/Doug Donley - two pioneers in the passing game

I can't imagine what guys like Ginn, Galloway, and Warfield would have done as H-backs in Urban Meyer's system.

 

[BIATCHabutuka]

voted for 6th.

behind in no order boston, carter, glenn, galloway, and holmes.

I tried to rank them all based on who would start if they were all on the same team.

Love Devin Smith, but it is hard to imagine sitting Boston, Carter, Glenn, Galloway, or Holmes. Each of those guys was the best receiver in college football period. Smith is great, but he would have needed to be Sammy Watkins last year or Amare Cooper this year to make our top 5, well my top 5 anyway.

wrU for sure.